Welder&#39;s mask or helmet



March 14, 1944. E s HEEL-:LER

wELDER's MASK 0R HELMET INVENT OR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 14, 1944 Edward S. Hebeler, Williamsville, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Unit Rays, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 26, 1942, Serial No. 436,341

9 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of welding, and

more particularly to what are known in that art as Welders masks orhelmets, which are used by those performing metal welding and cutting operations for the purpose of shielding their eyes from the impact of the brilliant rays emitted during the operations of electric and torch welding, as well as during the operations of torch cutting.

The said masks or helmets are usually provided with a protective shield of transparent material, such as glass or lire resistant transparent plastic material, extending across the vision opening and which will enable the operator to position his welding rod or his torch with reference to the work and also protect his face and eyes against impact by the hot scale produced by the cutting or welding operations and which it is desirable to remove from the work promptly after such operation. In addition, some of the prior masks or Illa denotes generally parts of the front of the mask or helmet l; and extending about and in front of the vision opening IUb is a frame I I within which the transparent pane I2 is removably mounted, being normally held against the outer 'surface of the portion I Ila of the mask or helmet by means of upper and lower springs I2a (see Figs.

. 3 and 4) which springs are mounted respectively helmets have been provided with a shield of partly Y opaque colored material capable of protecting the eyes of the operator against the brilliance of the light produced by the cutting or welding operation and have also beenl provided with means whereby this additional glare-proof shield may be moved into and out of register with the protective shield. In all of the masks `with which I Yam familiar and which have been so equipped, the means for interposing the glare-proof shield between the eyes of the operator and the work involve the use of mechanism which is liable to cause displacement of the Welding rod or torch with reference to the work.

The general purpose and object of my invention is to provide, for a mask o-r helmet such as described, means whereby the glare-proof shield -may `be so interposed between the eyes of the side elevation of a Welders mask or helmet constructed in accordance with my invention and illustrating the manner in which the glare-proof shield may .be operated; Fig. 2. is a rear elevational view of a frame, mounted in the front of f a standard type of Welders mask or helmet and having my invention incorporated therewith and therein and showing the positions of the parts when the glare-prooi shield is in use; Fig. 3 a sectional view corresponding to the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 a sectional View corresponding to the line ll-- of Fig. 2; land Fig. 5 an enlarged detail within the upper and lower horizontal members of the frame II and engage with their central portion the upper and lower portions of the frame I2b for the pane I2.

I3 denotes a pair of vertical supporting and guiding members suitably mounted upon the inner surface of the front portion of the mask or helmet and extending above and below the vision opening. I4 denotes a plate which is removably mounted within grooves I ia provided therefor in the said members I3 and being conveniently held in place by means of a bolt I5 having a head liengaging the front surface of the mask or helmet, said bolt extending through a slot Ida-at the upper end of the said plate and being provided with a wing nutY I5h at its inner end. y

I6 denotes the glare-proof shield, which is slid ably mounted between the vertical members I3. The sides of this shield aremounted within and between vertically extending side members I'l which project above and below the said shield and are each provided with a hook I'Ia at its upper end to which hooks the lower ends of diagonally and upwardly extending coiled springs are attached, the said springs comprising lower spring mem-bers I8 which are attached at their lower ends to the said hooks, the upper ends of said lower spring members being attached to a ring I9 to which the lower ends of the diagonally and upwardly extending upper spring members 2U are attached, the upper ends of the said spring members 2li being in turn attached to suitable members 2| conveniently carried by the front portion oi the mask above the side members I'I.

22 denotes a brace, located below the bottom of the shield and connected tofcorrespondingopposed portions of the side members II`. The lower ends of the side members I1 are ,also Provided l each with a hook I'Ib .to which hooks theopposite rends of a coiled spring 23 are attached.

The coiled springs I8 and 20 serve not onlyto lift the side members I1 andthe glare-proof shield mounted therebetween when released in the manin section of the lower portion of the frame, showing the positions of the parts when the glareproof shield is in its lowered or inoperative position.

Describing the parts by reference characters.,

ient pull upon the'upper ends' oflthe-side'me'mlbers while the spring23 also, exerts resilient pull V upon the lower ends of the side memberslthereby to resiliently, clamp the glareproo'f Shieldflbe- Atween the saidside members. Furthermorawhen the side members fand.. the Shield are removed,

after disconnecting thespringsl'rom their Y anchors ZI, fthe springs I 8 1 and' 232.7wi11` yieldably retain the glare-proof shield therebetween but Y may be separated, against the resistance of said springs, whereby the shield may be removed if broken and replaced by another.

24 denotes the front branch of a light metal looped stray to which branch the shank of a pulling element 25 is attached, the 'said shank y-11 extending through a vertical slot Mbrprovided reference to the work to be welded or cut, a slight therefor in the front ofthe. mask or helmet. 25a

denotes the rear branch of' the'l'ooped strap, the

loop being supportedV upon the brace 22. It will be noted that the central portionof the loop is slotted, as shown at 24h. Secured to the brace 22 within the said slot is a light flat metal spring 25, which is preferably soldered or welded to the member 2da. Projecting rearwardly from the member 2da and above the bottom thereof, isa latch 24?. This latchforms par-t of the mechanism for retaining the glare-proof shield below ,the vision opening. As will-be seen in Fig. 5,.

.21a in the plate 21 and screw bolts 28 extending vthrough 'said slots V4and through a cross plate 29 at the rearofthe plate 21, the ends of the screw bolts being provided with nuts 28a'whereby the plate 21-Ir1ay-V befadjustably secured tothe plate |11,` washers-'36 being interposed between the front ofthe plate 21 and a light spring plate '31, the upper endarof whichis also secured to and against the rear face of the plate Mi by the screw vbolts l28; The .lower end of thely spring Vplate3l is bent into' angular!form, asshown at projects depression of the chin will rock the lower end of 'plate 21 forwardly, thereby moving the spring 'plate'Sl forwardly and causing the lower vertical portion Sibthereof to press the plate 24a and the spring 26 forwardly, thereby to disengage the `latch from its engagement with the upper wall of the slot Hic, whereupon the springs I8 and 20 will operate to lift the glare-proof shield into register with the vision opening, there being a buffer 38 rof suitabler material, such as rubber, arranged above the rear ofthe vision opening for engagement by the upper edge of the glare-,proof shield, the said buffer being shown as. secured to plate M by means of the'sheet metal keeperv 39.

By pivotally connecting the shielf 31 to the lower portion of the resilient plate 21, the said shelf may be folded up into the position shown in Fig. 3, thereby enabling the assembly to be conveniently shipped, either per se or as installed in a mask or helmet.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A welders mask or helmet having a vision opening therein, a glare-proof shield reciprocably mounted at the rear of said opening and movable upwardly into, and downwardly out of, registration with the opening, spring means connected to said shield and tending to move the same upwardly into registration with said opening, a latch below the said shield and carried thereby, a keeper for said latch spaced Abelow said latch when the shield is in registration with said opening and adapted to be engaged by the latch when the said shield is below the said opening, and chin-actuated means for disengaging the latch from said keeper.

2. A welders mask or helmet having a vision Y opening therein, a 'glare-proof shield recipro- Sla `(see Figs.V 3 and 5), with the horizontal por-V- tion of Vsaid angular'end'ektending through the slot Hi? in the plate I4 andwith'the lower verti- `1`cal portion :extending alo'rig the front surf-ace of the plate llt; The plate 21; is so vshaped that 'the lowerfportionithereof is spaced a greater distance fromthe'platfe M'th'an its Aupper pori tion.

33 denotesa keeper extending across the plate 21 above'the bottom'the'reof and above the opening -llicf-being secured to the-plate 4' by means of `fscrew boltsr34 and` washers 35 andse'rving to lim-it the movement ofthe lower portion of the plate 21 rearwardly of the vvplate ,i 4. f vThe 4lower "Y wardly exte'nding@shelfA V'21,'3 and the vlower ends l *ofY the sides are formedinto rearwardlyvprojecting-mgs .21d -iocated'above the-shelf 2in. `These lugs support Vac'ros's rod 36 lto whichfthe'shelf cably mounted at the rear of said opening and movable upwardly into, and downwardly out of, registration with the opening, spring means connected to said shield and tending to move the same upwardly into registration with said opening, a latch below the said shield and movable therewith, a keeper for said latch spaced below said latch when the shield is in registration with said opening and adapted to be engaged by the latch when the shield is in. its lowered position, a latch-releasing meber having a portion thereof located in proximity to the said latch when the latter is in engagement with its keeper, and' chin-actuated means for operating the latch-releasing member thereby to release the 3. Awelderrs mask or-helmet having a vision opening-therein, a glare-proof vshield reciprocably mounted at the rear of said opening and movable Yupwardly into, and downwardlyout of,

31'i`s pivotally supported, said shelfhaving a Y front portion adapted to engage beneath the shelf 121 *when the shelf4 31 is inits depressed Y 'jposition, the shelf 131being"pivotally-supported ontheicrossfrod bymeahs of lugsY 31E.'

' With the "p 'artfs' constructed and' arranged "as described, itisl believed thatfth'e' vr.'ipjeration can be freadilyI un'derstoodlv The plate21fwill, be -adjustes sp that the shelf 31, wnen in its "lowered position, can bje- .lightly vengaged byA the )chin of jfthebperator Vwhe'rrtlie ,mask Aiis' appliejdto his head, the glare-jproof'shieldI eat" ,this 'ztimefbeihg held in its downward position byljengagement 'of below said latch when the 'shield is in registration with said openir'ig'and adapted to`be engaged4 bythe latch when thev shield is in its loweredl position, Va resilientv latch-releasing member having a portion thereof arranged 'in proximity to the said latch when the latter 'is in engagement with its keeper,l and chin-actuated means 'for' pressing the said portion of 'said Ymember against said latch, thereby to release the latter from engagement with said keeper.

4. A welders mask or helmet having a vision opening therein, a glare-proof shield reciprocably mounted at the rear of said opening and movable upwardly into, and downwardly out of, registration with the opening, spring means connected to said shield and tending to move the same upwardly into registration with said opening, a latch located below the said shield and movable therewith, a plate having a portion lo cated rearwardly of said shield when the latter is in its lowered position, a keeper for said latch carried by said plate, a spring for pressing the latch into engagement with said keeper when the shield is in its lowered position, an elongated resilient latch-releasing member secured at its upper portion to the said plate and having a lower portion thereof arranged in proximity to the said latch when the latter is in engagement with its keeper, and chin-actuated means for operating the said portion of said member thereby to release the latch from its keeper, said chin actuated means comprising a resilient plate secured to the iirst mentioned plate above the said keeper and extending downwardly' and rearwardly of and below the engaging portion of said latch-releasing member, and a chin-engageable shelf pivotally supported by the lower portion of the resilient plate, the said shelf and the resilient plate having interengaging portions adapted to support the shelf in a substantially horizontal position for engagement by the chin of the operator.

5. A welders mask or helmet having a vision opening therein, a glare-proof shield reciprocably mounted at the rear of said opening and movable upwardly into, and downwardly out of, registration with the opening, spring means connected to said shield and tending to move the same upwardly into registration with said opening, a latch carried by said shield and extending therebelow, a keeper for said latch adapted to be engaged by the latter when the shield is in its lowered position, and chin-actuated means for releasing the latch from said keeper, said chinactuated means comprising a resilient plate, and a chin-engageable shelf pivotally supported by the lower portion of the resilient plate, the said shelf and the last mentioned plate having interengaging portions adapted to hold the shel in e. substantially horizontal position for engagement by the chin of the operator, and a latch-releasing member operable by the depression of the said shelf for disengaging the latch from the keeper.

6. A welders mask or helmet having a vision opening therein, a glare-proof shield reciprocably mounted at the rear of said opening and movable upwardly into, and downwardly out of, registration with the opening, spring means connected to said shield and tending to move the same upwardly inte registration with said opening, a latch below the said shield and movable therewith, a plate having a portion located rearwardly of the said shield when the latter is in its lowered position, the said plate having an opening the upper wall of which is adapted to be engaged by the said latch thereby to retain the shield in its lowered position, an elongated leaf-type spring secured to the rear of the said plate above the opening thereof and having a projection extending into said opening in proximity to said latch and adapted to engage a portion of the latter, a resilient plate secured to the iirst mentioned plate above the said opening and extending downwardly rearwardly of the said spring and below the latter and adapted to engage the lower operating portion of the said spring, a horizontal shelf at the bottom of the resilient plate, and a shelf pivotally supported by the resilient plate and having the front portion thereof adapted to be engaged beneath the iirst mentioned shelf when the second mentioned shelf is in a substantially horizontal position.

7. A welders mask or helmet having a vision opening therein, a glare-proof shield reciprocably mounted at the rear of said opening and movable upwardly into, and downwardly out of, registration with the opening, side members between and by means of which the sides of the said shield are mounted, said side members extending above and below the said shield, coiled springs connected at their lower ends to the upper ends of said members respectively and each having its upper end connected to a support located substantially above the opposite side member, a coiled spring connecting the side members below said shield, a latch operatively connected with the lower portion of the said shield, a keeper for said latch adapted to be engaged by the latter when the shield is in its lowered position, and means for disengaging the latch from the said keeper, thereby to enable the first mentioned coiled springs to lift, the shield into register with the said vision opening,

8. A welders mask or helmet having a vision opening therein, a glare-proof shield reciprocably mounted at the rear of said opening and movable upwardly into, and downwardly out of, registration with the opening, side members in which the sides of the said shield are mounted, said side members extending above the said shield, coiled spring members connected to the upper ends of said side members respectively and each having its upper end connected to a ring located substantially above the center of the shield, coiled spring members connected to the said ring and to supports located above said ring and said side members, respectively, a latch operatively connected with the lower portion of the said shield, a keeper for said latch adapted to be engaged by the latter when the shield is in its lowered position, and means for disengaging the latch lfrom the said keeper, thereby to enable the springs to lift the shield into register with the said vision opening.

9. A welders mask or helmet having a vision opening therein, a glare-proof shield reciprocably mounted at the rear of said opening and movable upwardly into, and downwardly out of, registration with the opening, spring means connected to said shield and tending to move the same upwardly into registration with said opening, a latch below the said shield and movable therewith, a plate having a portion located rearwardly of the said shield when the latter is in its lowered position, the said plate having an opening the upper wall of which is adapted to be engaged by the said latch thereby to retain the shield in its lowered position, a resilient plate secured to the rst mentioned plate above the said opening and extending downwardly and rearwardly of said'opening, a latch engaging member secured to the said resilient plate and having a projection extending into said opening in proximity to said latch and adapted to engage a portion of the latter, and a chin-engageable projection carried by the said resilient plate.

EDWARD S. HEBELER, 

